


A Spoonful of Sugar

by Dameceles



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Babies, Crying, Domestic, F/M, Fluff, Fussy Baby, Gen, Kid Fic, Mother-Son Relationship, No Deeprealms, Parenthood, Slice of Life, Tenderness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-31
Updated: 2018-03-31
Packaged: 2019-04-16 14:42:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,521
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14167149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dameceles/pseuds/Dameceles
Summary: Sakura had thought herself happy with her new life, but sometimes being a new parent involves more tears than sweetness.





	A Spoonful of Sugar

The first thing that'd struck Sakura about living in Igasato was the quiet. Nestled in the high mountains and surrounded by forested wilderness, the tiny village was a far cry from Hoshido's capital city. Compared to the bustling streets filled with people day or night, it was always a pleasant surprise to meet another villager on the typically empty roads. Even living with not only her husband but also her mother-in-law, Miyokichi, within the Saizou ancestral home, there’d been long stretches of time Sakura had found herself more or less alone with the quiet.

Not that there’d been a lack of things to do— medicines needed preparation and packing for missions, she was called upon to help treat those who returned wounded, and more mundanely the garden or house chores seemed never ending. Everyone in the village did things for themselves rather than employing servants. Despite the lifestyle difference of her background Sakura appreciated the frank inclusion of being treated as an equal contributor. She’d enjoyed several years as a wife and daughter-in-law settling into the new surroundings and routines, before their family expanded.

Sakura had been so happy to become pregnant, and she’d cried tears of joy after birthing a son. It'd vindicated giving up her title and being struck from the Byakuya family registry, through her the Saizou bloodline would survive. Although it’d be five more months before her husband would take a brush to ink and write the name by which their son would be officially recognized. Yet since their firstborn child had been a boy, Sakura knew he’d become the sixth to inherit his father’s name alongside the mantel of responsibilities. So, she wanted to treasure the time they had together where he was simply her child.

Sometimes there were perfect days that captured this feeling, like the beginning of that second winter month. Saizou VI, or little Sai as an affectionate nickname, had squealed loudly when they’d dressed him in a richly embroidered set of formal kimonos in miniature, a gift sent by her own family weeks ago, but had quieted once they’d set out for his first shrine visit. The local shrine was very small compared to the Dawn Dragon’s temple in Shirazaki, with only an elderly priest and his disciple tending it. Still Sakura knew the gods had greeted her baby there, held in the arms of his grandmother. As four of them had offered prayers for Sai’s health and happiness, her son had stayed quiet having fallen asleep; the peacefulness of the event had brought tears to her eyes. 

Yet since the turn of the week the usual afternoon serenity was shattered by screams. Instead of settling down for a nap after his midday feeding, once laid down on the futon Sai had pulled his knees to his chest, curled his tiny hands into fists and then started to shriek. Each time Sakura checked his jinbei and he hadn’t soiled it. He hadn’t felt chilled nor feverish. Neither could he be hungry, nor tired. Although no cause could be found the intense, high-pitched cries certainly gave away her son’s genuine misery. The baby’s crying continued through evening and into the night, although it abated by morning it’d be back with a vengeance by the long hours of the day.

In her training as a healer Sakura had read in the medical scrolls about crying babies that would be inconsolable for undiscernible reasons, but it was another thing entirely to experience it in person. If colic was the case to her knowledge there was no known definitive cure and it could last up to _six months_. She and Miyokichi had put their heads together and tried home remedies— from bouncing the baby in their arms, baths in shallow tubs of warm water, tea made with unusual herbs like catnip, to limb exercises and belly massages —but none appeared to provide him with enough relief to stop his howling.

Sakura’s usual patience quickly grew threadbare and she began to feel as miserable as Sai must’ve been. When his crying had started that particular day, she’d broken down into tears of her own feeling incapable and useless. It’d only seemed to make her son scream louder.

Her mother-in-law had stepped in, taking the baby up into her own arms. When Sakura tried to blubber an apology, Miyokichi interrupted with a firm voice, “No apologies, we're all feeling the strain. Why don’t you go out and take a hike while there’s light?”

“B-b-but I can’t j-just leave.” Sakura sobbed, battling hitching breaths that made her stutter all the worse. “I-I’d be a h-h-horrible mother.”

“Nonsense, grandma’s here with my grandson. I’ll hand him right over once you’re back from the walk.” Miyokichi didn’t relent until Sakura toed on her sandals and shut the front door behind her.

More tears rolled down Sakura’s face as she forced one foot in front of the other and Sai’s cries grew farther and farther away. Yet once she reached a quiet bend in the path, a tangible weight was lifted from her shoulders. Rather than walking any farther she sat on a patch of grass, breathed deeply, and simply basked in the quiet and sunshine. It felt like a healing festal being used on her spirit and she allowed time to pass unmarked.

“Sakura.”

The deep familiar rumble roused Sakura from the doze she’d unknowingly fallen into. She blinking against the rays of the setting sun, astonished to see her husband crouching in the grass beside her. Saizou had been gone on a mission since not long after she’d given birth, and she hadn’t been sure when he’d return. Without warning Sakura threw her arms around him, perhaps to affirm he wasn’t a hallucination, and Saizou caught her and the solid reality of him filled her with relief.

“I’m s-so glad you’re h-h-home,” she muffled against his shoulder. 

Fisting her hands in his clothing to hide a sudden case of shivers, she had to blink to stave off a new wave of tears. Ashamed of this response, she kept her head tucked against him, pressing herself as close as she could. Rather than replying, Saizou simply wrapped his arms more snugly around her, one hand drawing soothing circles on her back. Thankfully, her eyes remained dry and her shivers subsided before the sun had entirely set, so she didn’t need to rely on her husband’s night vision to find their way.

However, when she tried to surge up onto her feet, Sakura’s knees buckled and she fell forward— only to be caught by Saizou a second time. She swallowed down a squeal as he then proceeded to sweep her up into his arms and move down the path, carrying her like a bride. It had her blushing hotly and this time she hid her face with her hands, protesting, “I c-can walk!”

“It’s been so long, I’d rather take you home like this.” Saizou chuckled, and she felt as much as heard the rich rumble. 

Giving in, Sakura rested her head against his shoulder and found herself lulled by the faint rocking of his stride.

It was dark when Sakura woke, tucked into the futon in their bedroom and feeling more rested than she had in a long time. However, the realization that she was inside their _quiet_ house had her fighting the groggy haze. After all, even before Sai’s colic she’d had to get up multiple times throughout the night to care for the newborn. She scrambled to sit up, blinking to focus bleary eyes— only to find Saizou sitting beside the moonlit window and holding their son. 

Supported by one arm the baby was curled against his chest, little head cradled in the palm of one hand. Even more surprisingly was what her husband’s free hand held— what looked to be a tiny wooden stick attached to a sphere which their child was currently sucking. It must’ve been the reason why Sai wasn’t screaming at the top of his lungs. 

With a smile, Sakura got up and joined them. Even in the cold light Sai’s face was blotchy and swollen, when she caressed a full cheek the delicate skin of his face was gritty from dried tear tracks. The thing in his mouth kept the baby’s full attention, so she softly asked, “What’s in h-his mouth?”

“A sugar lolly.” Saizou turned his good eye to her, his lack of a mask letting her see his own smile. “It’s hard candy from Nohr. I’d bought it for you, but…”

The admission had Sakura smiling wider, happy that despite his own aversion to deserts her husband thought of her tastes and brought sweets home. Resting a hand on Saizou’s shoulder, she leaned in and lightly kissed the top of the baby’s head. His feathery hair, pale red like her own, momentarily clung to her lips before she righted herself. 

Admiring the sharp angles of her husband’s bare face in the moonlight, Sakura quipped. “He i-inherited my sweet t-tooth. Seems you’re o-outnumbered.”

Saizou grunted a reluctant acknowledgement yet kept smiling as she leaned up and gave him a kiss of his own.

**Author's Note:**

> The shrine visit mentioned was modeled after the Japanese tradition of omiyamairi, which occurs when a baby is around a month old. 
> 
> Also hard candies are a chocking hazard to small children, so best to not follow Saizou’s example here… but yes, candy pacifiers, no wonder his son’s hooked on sugar.


End file.
